{"id":350405,"date":"2017-09-04T06:00:19","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T06:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=350405"},"modified":"2017-11-10T12:32:56","modified_gmt":"2017-11-10T12:32:56","slug":"marian-ansah-writes-lessons-from-kenyas-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/09\/marian-ansah-writes-lessons-from-kenyas-election\/","title":{"rendered":"Marian Ansah writes: Lessons from Kenya’s election"},"content":{"rendered":"
On 1st<\/sup> September 2017, Kenya\u2019s Supreme Court in a historic judgement, annulled the results of last month\u2019s presidential election and ordered a new one within 60 days as provided for in the Kenyan Constitution.<\/p>\n This is great news for a country that has gradually moved from autocracy to democracy. By this judgement, Kenya, has set the pace for entrenchment of justice and democracy, while providing lessons for autocratic countries that are yet to experience democracy in any form.<\/p>\n The election and the court\u2019s judgement in itself have presented very critical lessons that cannot be ignored.<\/p>\n Supreme Court\u2019s cojones:<\/strong> The Supreme Court\u2019s judgement that saw an annulment of the election is very impressive. It is historic. Never has an African court invalidated a presidential election. In Ghana, the then Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party , Nana Akuffo- Addo lost the election petition case filed in 2013, after losing to then President John Mahama in 2012. Zambia\u2019s Constitutional Court also dismissed the petition filed by the opposition\u2019s United Party for National Development (UPND) against the re-election of President Edgar Lungu. <\/strong>In 2016, the Ugandan Supreme Court dismissed Amama Mbambazi\u2019s petition against the election of President Museveni. <\/strong>The same apex court dismissed Besigye\u2019s appeal against Museveni\u2019s election both in 2001 and 2006. <\/strong>\u00a0In most cases, there are needless delays in the dispensation of electoral disputes which have become an albatross in the electoral process in many African countries.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Odinga’s resilience rewarded:<\/strong>This was actually Kenya’s opposition leader, Raila Odinga’s fourth attempt at the presidency and the second time of filing an election petition. Taking a decision to contest an election for four consecutive times is not an easy task. Odinga however decided to toe this path despite the tendency of losing to his opponent. And when he lost this year’s election, he refused to back down and just like he did in 2013, he went to court one more time to challenge the results. His resilience is indeed an inspiration.<\/p>\n